This time last week we were heading home from a trip to Colorado, a family reunion with John's dad and sibs, and a chance to see the splendid place where my brother-in-law and his wife now live near McCoy (south of Steamboat Springs). It was the perfect chance to try my new little camera, a Canon 200sx; the first shot was through the windshield as we drove at 78mph through southern Idaho (why wasn't it a complete blur?) 
The ranch that Dave and Monica manage is just really gorgeous, complete with their specialty: thoroughbred brood mares with babies. The horses love to gnaw on the wooden rails of the fence.
Most of the cattle were higher up on the mountain, but there were a few mamas and babies around.
There were gazillions of broad-tailed hummingbirds, feisty little rascals. I figured I should take a picture with both a hummingbird and a rainbow in it, because when will this ever happen again? You can see that rainbow, right?
This is over-the-top, I know, but they really do have their own private waterfall just a few minutes' walk behind the barn."Lurcher and Akbash" sounds like a law firm to me, but these are the types of dogs that Dave and Monica have on the ranch. Akbash dogs originated in Turkey, huge white fellows bred to live with and guard flocks of sheep. Dave has 6 of them, 5 of them up high in the mountains with the sheep, and one who stayed behind-unwittingly-and has been nicknamed "Lonely." There are no coyotes on this ranch, because the Akbash will tear them to shreds.
Lonely
Lonely, keeping an eye on things, never set foot in the house, preferring to keep watch outdoors. And then, just for fun, they have a Lurcher. Lurchers, developed by Irish gypsies to outwit the royalty, are sighthounds crossbred with other breeds. It was illegal long ago for anybody outside of royalty to own a sighthound, so these "mutt" dogs were quietly used to poach game from under the king's nose. This boy's name is Rio and can he ever run, although you would never know it from my pictures of him.
Lazy, lazy, lazy in the house, but outside he runs for miles. The ground squirrels have to be very careful because Rio loves to catch them.
Lonely doesn't look vicious at all! Also, I want: a waterfall, horses, a pack of dogs, and a rainbow. My word verification is "barks!" Seriously!
ReplyDeletethat was from chrystal, if you couldn't tell based on the tone alone.
ReplyDeleteI see the rainbow! I do, I see it! And, I also want: a waterfall, horses, dogs, a rainbow, and hummingbirds, and family, and those pretty red dishes that you ate breakfast off of. Sigh.
ReplyDelete"barks" hahaha! Perfect. Lonely had a very sweet face, and dedicated himself to guarding us when we took a long tough hike high up. But he was cautious and aloof, avoided petting, and never wanted to eat from my hand. An unusual dog.
ReplyDeleteAh, Nogodoshi Bliss, I am so literal that for a minute there I thought you had turned soft, liking horses and rainbows both at once. But of course, it was Chrystal, the Dear One.
Hi Jessica! Some day all of these things will be yours, I promise. Well, at least the family, and the red dishes.
ha!, and thank you. The Nodogoshi and I like your style.
ReplyDelete